Sister Joan Chittister famously said, "We are each called to go through life reclaiming the planet an inch at a time until the Garden of Eden grows green again." Reflecting on that journey -- a blog at a time -- is the focus of this site.

Thursday, June 04, 2015

#TBT: GC2000/Denver -- Of Salt and Guacamole and the 8th Resolve

In preparation for the 78th General Convention in Salt Lake City I have spent a considerable time reviewing the actions and history of General Conventions past. Today's #TBT (ThrowBackThursday) offering is this article -- from the 2000 post-convention issue of "The Voice of Integrity" -- offered as another in my personal series of illustrations in response to the argument that we need more time for conversation before we make full inclusion of LGBT people in the sacramental life of the Episcopal Church a reality and not just a resolution. Here's some of our history:

General Convention: What a Difference Three or Six Years Makeby Scott Larsen

That, in a nutshell, is how many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Episcopalians felt after attending General Convention in the Mile High City July 5-14. For the first time, the Episcopal Church passed a resolution stating the Church should offer “pastoral support” to couples in relationships outside of marriage.

Three years ago, Episcopalians met in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, and turned back steps to permit same-sex holy unions in the Episcopal Church by a handful of votes. Six years before in Phoenix, Arizona, both liberals and conservatives considered that conclave as rancorous.

By a vote of 119 to 19 with four abstentions, the House of Bishops concurred with the House of
Deputies in passing Resolves 1-7. It was this resolution which called for the Church to recognize the value of relationships “characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and holy love which enables those in such relationships to see each other in the image of God.”

“With the passing of this resolution by both houses, the question is no longer whether our relationships exist or are of God,” said the Rev. Michael Hopkins, President of Integrity. “The question is how they should be celebrated,” added Hopkins.

The harder-to-pass resolution came in the form of Resolve 8 that called for the study for the creation of rites of relationships outside of marriage which would have been presented to the next General Convention in Minneapolis in 20003: “Resolved, that desiring to support relationships of mutuality and
fidelity other than marriage which mediate the grace of God, the 73rd General Convention directs the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to prepare for consideration by the 74th General Convention rites for inclusion in the Book of Occasional Services by means of which the Church may express that
support.”

The House of Bishops voted down Resolve 8, 85 to 63. This happened two days after the Deputies split their vote with the clergy voting in favor but the laity voting it down. Conservative bishops tried to play up the point that the Church was divided over this issue with both the clergy and laity voting it down in the House of Deputies. However, when a recount was made, it showed the clergy deputies had in fact voted in favor of Resolve 8 while the laity voted it down by only two delegations.

Both houses approved overwhelmingly a resolution that the Episcopal Church—which hosts numerous Boy Scout troops—begin dialogue over the Scout’s anti-gay policies. As a result of a Supreme Court decision, the Scouts can exclude gay boys and gay Scout leaders. Even though Episcopal Church parishes sponsor many Scout troops, General Convention has said that the Episcopal Church should be a “safe haven” for GLBT people.

But the first week of the convention seemed like it was choreographed by Barnum & Bailey Circus. On July 4, one day before the convention got underway, Soulforce members staged a protest in front of the Colorado Convention Center. Founded by the Rev. Mel White, a former speechwriter for the Rev. Jerry Falwell, the two-year old gay faith movement wants to knock doors down on discrimination toward GLBT people in the Christians churches.

All summer long, Soulforce members spent thousands of their personal dollars flying to Methodist, Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, and Episcopal convention sites, getting arrested and paying fines. It was their way of protesting the anti-gay policies of each of these denominations.

However, their tactics of “fly-in and fly-out” while committed GLBT folk in each of these four denominations work on the inside to try and change church policy have not set well. Further, Judy Collins had been billed to perform at the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for continued on next page World Relief concert where millions of dollars are raised and allocated to people in need throughout the world. However, it was believed SoulForce “got to” Collins and asked her to cancel her performance over the Episcopal Church’s anti-gay policies. It was an attempt to embarrass Episcopalians. It didn’t work. In fact, it backfired.

In the words of the Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, the pro-gay dean of the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., “Judy, Judy, you’ve been talking to the wrong people.” He spoke these words at the Integrity Festival Eucharist, held at the Cathedral of St. John in the Wilderness, Denver, where over 1,200 people turned out for the historic service: it was the first time a General Convention Eucharist was celebrated by an openly-gay priest, the Rev. Michael W. Hopkins, our president. Michael invited all other
openly gay priests and ministers to concelebrate at this service, and a total of 33 participated

Integrity welcomed convention deputies and bishops every day by holding a banner welcoming all deputies to General Convention. When the Rev. Fred Phelps of Topeka showed up with venomous signs and scurrilous epitaphs, a number of conservative deputies and bishops came up to the Integrity banner, shook our hands and embraced Integrity members, some saying, “That’s not our Church!”

Clearly, Phelps was helping moderate and conservative Episcopalians turn and embrace their GLBT brothers and sisters. One action early during the convention put a damper on the proceedings. A clergy deputy, the Rev. Nelson W. Koscheski from Dallas, placed salt under the tables of two liberal dioceses
including that of Dr. Louie Crew from Newark. Dr. Crew brought the action to the attention of the president of the House of Deputies, Pamela Chinnis, who suspended the proceedings until the salt could be cleaned up. The priest said that he did what he did to wipe out the “wickedness” of homosexuality among those delegations that had introduced pro-gay legislation or had gay or lesbian deputies.

Integrity’s message every day of the convention was that they represented GLBT people inside the Church. Over 70 volunteers from around the nation spent two weeks in Denver, monitoring each piece of legislation, coordinating communications and press coverage, maintaining a booth in the exhibition hall, and being one of the groups that make up The Consultation, a consortium of progressive Episcopal groups such as the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Union of Black Episcopalians, and the Episcopal Women’s Caucus.

Another bright light for Integrity was that Dr. Crew was elected to the Executive Council of the Episcopal, garnering the highest number of votes. “It is a new day for the Church when the founder [of Integrity] is elected to the major decision-making body other than General Convention. We rejoice in it,” said our president. The Rev. Cynthia Black, an Integrity member and former president of the Episcopal Women’s Caucas, was also elected.

Perhaps, one of the best tongue-in-cheek lines was made by the Rev. Susan Russell, Associated Rector of St. Peter’s in San Pedro, California, and a member of Integrity’s communications team. “It’s not the whole enchilada but there’s enough guacamole for me,”said Susan about seeing the first seven resolves pass the houses but the eighth resolve fail. “This is a huge step forward. I am thrilled to be a priest in this Church!”

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Welcome to my blog ...

... where I try to be really clear about what I'm clear about. For example:

Religious persecution is when you're prevented from exercising your beliefs, not when you're prevented from IMPOSING your beliefs.

========

Until we end the blatant and indefensible discrimination of DOMA we are not living up to the pledge we make to be a nation of liberty and justice for all, we are not providing the equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to same-sex couples and we are failing to defend the self-evident truth that our forbearers fought to protect: that ALL people are created equal.

============ Using "biblical standards" to condemn those who understand that sexual orientation is morally neutral makes as much sense as using "biblical standards" to condemn astronomers who understand that the earth revolves around the sun. The Bible may have said it but that doesn't always settle it. ============ It's liberty and justice for all -- not some. It's respect the dignity of every human being -- not just straight ones. Got it? Great. Let's do it.

====== In order to keep moving forward toward liberty and justice for all we can't just be right about what the 1st Amendment protects. We have to be smart about how we respond to those who skipped the 9th Commandment and think lying is a Traditional Family Value. ======= Jesus said "Love your neighbor." Not "Love your neighbor unless your neighbor is gay."

Basic Bio

A cradle Episcopalian second generation Dodger fan ENFJ native of Los Angeles I was ordained in 1996 and currently serve as a Senior Associate at All Saints Church, Pasadena.
My family consists of my wife Lori, 2 dogs, (Hillary & Chelsea), 3 cats (Maui, Cherokee and Harold) and our four young adult kids: Jim (married to the awesome Kelly), Brian, Grace and Emily.
My life in the church has included everything from Junior Altar Guild with my Aunt Gretchen to my “obligatory young adult lapsed phase” to a tour of duty on the St. Paul’s, Ventura vestry where I also worked as parish secretary to a life-heart-soul changing experience as part of the Cursillo community to serving on my parish ECW Board to seminary at the School of Theology in Claremont to associate/day school chaplain positions at St. Mark’s, Altadena and St. Peter’s, San Pedro to Executive Director of Claiming the Blessing to my current parish position at All Saints Church. It’s been a long and winding road and the journey continues: an inch at a time.

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Strongly held perspectives are appreciated. Ad hominem attacks will be deleted. When in doubt, revisit page 305 of the BCP and if what you're typing doesn't meet the "respect the dignity" clause of the Baptismal Covenant then save us both some time and energy and don't hit "send."

DISCLAIMER

This blog is the personal weblog of one Susan Lynn Russell. The opinions expressed herein are hers and hers alone. The postions taken on matters theological or political (or anything else, for that matter) are in no way to be construed as the official positions of any other person, institution, group or organization.

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“Faith in action is called politics. Spirituality without action is fruitless and social action without spirituality is heartless. We are boldly political without being partisan. Having a partisan-free place to stand liberates the religious patriot to see clearly, speak courageously, and act daringly.” -- Ed Bacon

“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"It's time for "tolerant" religious people to acknowledge the straight line between the official anti-gay theologies of their denominations and the deaths of these young people. Nothing short of changing our theology of human sexuality will save these young and precious lives." -- The Rt Rev Gene Robinson

"How can you initiate someone into the Body of Christ and then treat them like they’re half-assed baptized?" - The Rt Rev Barbara Harris

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ~ Elie Wiesel, 1986 Nobel Peace Prize

"Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these." — Siddhārtha Gautama

"I'm so glad Mary didn't wait for the formulation of a Doctrine of the Incarnation before she said 'Yes' to God." -- Ed Bacon

"The great Easter truth is not that we will be born again someday but that we are to be alive here and now by the power of the resurrection." -- Philips Brooks (paraphrase)

"History belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being.” -- Walter Wink

“Patience, a quality of holiness may be sloth in the soul when associated with the lack of righteous indignation.” -- Abraham Heschel

"Don't tell me what you believe. Tell me what difference it makes that you believe!" -- Verna Dozier

“We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief. Nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief. At the same time as our constitution prohibits state religion, establishment of it protects the free exercise of all religions. And walking this fine line requires government to be strictly neutral.” -- Ronald Reagan

Let's be clear. The fact that the State authorizes a marriage in no way compels any Church to perform or recognize it. Marriage equality merely guarantees equality under the law to all citizens; it does not compel churches to do anything.-- Katherine Ragsdale